Citizen council OKs jail expansion
Despite the county making substantial improvements in the criminal justice system, the Citizen Confidence Council said Monday the expansion of the Midland County Detention Center is needed to address long-term problems.
by Courtney Bacalso
Midland Reporter-Telegram
Published: Tuesday, August 12, 2008 7:26 AM CDT
- Commissioners' Court still to decide whether to pursue a bond issue.
By Courtney Bacalso
Staff Writer
Despite the county making substantial improvements in the criminal justice system, the Citizen Confidence Council said Monday the expansion of the Midland County Detention Center is needed to address long-term problems.
The five-member council comprised of citizens presented its report Monday to the Commissioners' Court, which has until Aug. 26 to decide whether to place a bond issue for the expansion of its jail facility on November's ballot.
County Judge Mike Bradford formed the committee to review the study done by consulting firm Carl Griffith and Associate Inc. that addresses the overcrowding situation at the county jail and its possible expansion.
The jail consulting firm gave its recommendations to the county earlier this year that included creating a work release program for inmates and the construction of a new jail complex that would be designed for minimum, medium and maximum supervision and personnel staffing within the Sheriff's Office.
"The council concurs with those recommendations in its entirety," the report states.
Council members include:
- Defense attorney David Lindemood of Brockett and McNeel Law Firm,
- Buddy Sipes, CEO of Chisos Operating Inc.,
- Former Midland Independent School District teacher Barbara Yarbrough,
- Public training program specialist Bo Zertuche of CGM Consultants.
- Judge Willie DuBose, former Midland County judge.
Bradford said the council had been formed because they wanted an outside party to confirm and evaluate whether the county commissioners are offering their best policies and have made improvements.
"Their decision was absolutely important to the process because you get so close to an issue that sometimes you need that outside source to confirm your actions," Bradford said. "Secondly, these are some of the citizens who would be investing their money (if we move forward), so you want a preliminary snapshot of what the community may thing. After all, the Commissioners' Court are just custodians."
The council's decision comes after the county exceeded its maximum capacity of 306 beds back in 2004, forcing officials to outsource its inmates.
County officials hired the Griffith Group in April of 2007. With the help of the consulting firm, the county has since streamlined the entire judicial system in order to address the overcrowding problem.
"Substantial improvements have already occurred in the criminal justice system in Midland County," the report states. "The reductions made to the inmate population through procedural changes, communication and cooperation have eased the problem of inmate crowding."
Since Dec. 24, the county hasn't had to outsource any inmates. According to the Griffith report, projected cost savings for 2008 is at about $1 million -- $210,000 of which had already been achieved by March.
Other programs implemented to reduce the inmate population and save more money include the establishing of an inmate work program last month, filling staffing vacancies and reducing overtime, and improving the sharing of information to reduce time needed to prosecute cases.
"But (the reductions do) not ultimately provide a long-term solution," the report further states.
Bradford said the court is waiting for construction cost estimates before making its decision.
Courtney Bacalso can be reached at c.bacalso@mrt.com.